From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2006-06-16 17:09:29 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] new abstracts
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
There are known deficits in ferret albino eyes (See PubMed for abstracts, a=
nd I think that they may also be listed in the FHL Archives and certainly i=
n Ferret-Genetics in Yahoogroups). This abstract looked for norms in ferre=
ts:
START QUOTE
Vet Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;9(4):209-213.
Reference values for selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests of the ferret (Mu=
stela putorius furo).
Montiani-Ferreira F, Mattos BC, Russ HH.
Universidade Federal do Parana (UFPR), Rua dos Funcionarios, 1540, 80035-05=
0, Curitiba - PR, Brazil.
Purpose To perform selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests in healthy ferrets =
with the aim of establishing normal physiological reference values for this=
species. Method A total of 15 healthy, unrelated ferrets were used to test=
most of the parameters in this investigation. Eight of the 15 ferrets were=
used for central corneal thickness evaluation. Ages varied from 1.5 to 6 y=
ears of age. Selected diagnostic ocular tests were performed including Schi=
rmer tear test, tonometry using an applanation tonometer (Tonopen((R))), ce=
ntral corneal thickness using an ultrasonic pachymeter (Sonomed, Micropach(=
(R)), Model 200P +) and culture of the normal conjunctival bacterial flora.=
Results and discussion Staphylococcus sp. and Corynebacterium sp. were iso=
lated from healthy conjunctival and eyelid margins, suggesting they are nor=
mal constituents of the conjunctival flora of the ferret. Results for selec=
ted ocular diagnostic tests investigated here for the ferret eye were as fo=
llows: intraocular pressure: 14.50 +/- 3.27 mmHg; Schirmer tear test: 5.31 =
+/- 1.32 mm/min; central corneal thickness: 0.337 +/- 0.020 mm. No statisti=
cally significant differences between ages or genders were found for any of=
the results. The reference data for the ocular tests obtained in this inve=
stigation will help veterinary ophthalmologists to more accurately diagnose=
ocular diseases in the ferret. Knowledge of these reference values will be=
particularly useful to diagnose discrete or unusual pathological changes o=
f the ferret eye.
PMID: 16771755 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
END QUOTE
----
This is a mink study but has the potential to *perhaps* be useful for ferre=
t breeders given what little the title gives away so people may want to see=
k the full article and let us all know what protein sources, protein amount=
s were discussed and so on:
START QUOTE
J Nutr. 2006 Jul;136(7):2061S-2S.
=
Protein Turnover in Lactating Mink (Mustela vison) Is Not Affected by Dieta=
ry Protein Supply.
Tauson AH, Fink R, Chwalibog A, Rasmussen A.
Department of Animal and Veterinary Basic Sciences, The Royal Veterinary an=
d Agricultural University, Gronnegardsvej 3, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denma=
rk.
PMID: 16772498 [PubMed - in process]
END QUOTE
Some studies of the developing senses after birth in ferrets have had info =
which is useful for creating the best environment for breeding; it is too s=
oon to know if this one might help at all in that regard:
START QUOTE
Hear Res. 2006 Jun 9; [Epub ahead of print]
=
Synaptogenesis in the inferior colliculus of the pre-hearing postnatal ferr=
et.
Brunso-Bechtold JK, Evans SD, Henkel CK.
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University Health Scien=
ces, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1010, USA; Neuroscie=
nce Program, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Bouleva=
rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1010, USA.
Although intrinsic organization in the inferior colliculus (IC) has been su=
rveyed in a variety of species, current knowledge of synaptogenesis within =
the mammalian inferior colliculus is limited. The present study surveyed th=
e ultrastructure of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus in postn=
atal day (P) P4, P7, P14, and P28 ferrets, prior to the onset of hearing at=
the end of the first postnatal month with the goal of beginning to charact=
erize the time course of synapse formation in relation to the development o=
f afferent projection patterns within the IC. Results suggest that initial =
synaptogenesis has occurred in the IC by P4 and continues during the period=
when maturation of the distribution of axons from brainstem auditory nucle=
i is taking place.
PMID: 16766149 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
END QUOTE
Okay, in the first place I think that the researcher below calling ferrets =
"phylogenetically primitive" indicates an extreme lack of known of the taxo=
nomy of ferrets and of their specializations and abilities. The mustelids =
and the procyonids were the two most recent branches of the Canid portion o=
f Carnivora. Granted, the original mustelids arose in the Oligocene, but s=
o did the first of the dogs, bears, procyonids, etc.
Furthermore, why look at something so basic which has already been so well =
documented by Jerry Siegel and others? It has already been well demonstrat=
ed that it appears that the less developed a animal is at birth, the more R=
EM sleep the animal engages in. It turns out that if you look at non-place=
ntal mammals the amount is larger yet.
This reminds me of an early medical school SARS study where there were some=
suggestions that they did not first make sure that the cats didn't have FI=
P and that the ferrets didn't have ECE, and there were routes of exposure n=
ot well controlled.
U PA is a great school, but I sure hope that there is later info which expl=
ains what was new here and the basis of that label for ferrets.
Can you tell that I am actually scowling? I try to keep that to a minimum,=
too... Okay, I am probably over-reacting and will be relieved later and m=
aybe even need to eat my words. I certainly hope so.
START QUOTE
Behav Brain Res. 2006 Jun 8; [Epub ahead of print]
=
Sleep and sleep regulation in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo).
Jha SK, Coleman T, Frank MG.
Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,=
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6074, United States.
We investigated sleep-wake (S-W) architecture and sleep regulation in the f=
erret: a phylogenetically primitive mammal increasingly used in neurobiolog=
ical studies. Twenty-four hour S-W baseline data were collected in eight ad=
ult ferrets. Seven ferrets were then sleep deprived for 6h at the beginning=
of the light period. Like other placental mammals, ferrets exhibited the m=
ain vigilance states of wakefulness, rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and non=
-REM (NREM) sleep. Interestingly, the amount of REM sleep in the ferret was=
considerably higher (24.01+/-1.61% of total recording time) than typically=
reported in placental mammals. Ferret sleep was homeostatically regulated =
as sleep deprivation produced a significant increase in NREM EEG delta powe=
r during the recovery period. Therefore, ferret sleep in most respects is c=
omparable to sleep in other placental mammals. However, the large amount of=
REM sleep in this phylogenetically more ancient species suggests that REM =
sleep may have been present in greater amounts in early stages of mammalian=
evolution.
PMID: 16765460 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
END QUOTE
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my private po=
sts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
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